Sakura in Gensokyo
by TsunRodent
Summary: What if Sakura was not raised by the Matou's? What if a certain gap youkai had saved her from such a horrible fate?


Matou Kariya had done everything he could to save Sakura. Letting those disgusting Crest Worms in his body, taking on the hardest to control servant Berserker, it was all destroying his body with it's corruption and heavy consumption of mana. It was little surprise this pitiable man was now staggering down the streets, barely able to maintain the remainder of his life.

He had failed. He had tried so hard to save the daughter of his beloved, yet here he was. Just another poor fool dying in the street.

No.

There had to be one more thing he could do. There was no way he was going to die yet. He had to make it, he had to save her. The Matou family was no good for Sakura. She needed to be with her mother, of that Kariya was sure. So he could not stop, he could not just lay down on the ground to die. There was someone waiting for him. Someone who was depending on him.

Kariya slowly rose from the concrete side walk. He hadn't even realized he had fallen. Suddenly a wave of dizziness and exhaustion over took him, making him feel as if he was going to pass out again.

Ugh. No good. This was no good.

At this rate he'll surely never make it. And even if he did, he didn't have the strength to fight off Zouken or anyone else that would try to stop him from taking the young girl.

The man slumped against the wall, pushing back his straggly white hair with his hand. Sweat beaded down his forehead as he breathed in raspy breathes.

He was going to die.

Death. He had accepted it a long time ago. Joining this war, using those worms, summoning the servant he did, he knew it would all kill him. Yet...

He had done it for her. For Zenj... no Tohsaka Aoi.

Eyes drifted up to the sky, as he slowly sank down, his back rubbing against the rough concrete of the wall. This was the end, he supposed. He was not going to make it. All those promises he made to Aoi, to Sakura, to himself... he was going to break them all now.

Just as he was going to close his eyes for one final time, he caught sight of something. Or rather someone. Standing before him was a stunningly beautiful woman clad in a violet dress with blonde hair that shone in the moonlight. In his muddled state of mind, he could barely register where she had come from, how she had appeared so suddenly without him noticing. But even so, something occurred to him, while he had failed... maybe just maybe, this woman could...

"Save her," He rasped, reaching his hand out to the woman, "Save Sakura..."

With a final breath, his hand fell to his side. That would be the last thing Matou Kariya would ever say. _Save Sakura._

–

Yukari leaned down to gently close the dead man's eyes, hoping to give him a much more peaceful expression in death. It was the least she could do after spending so long watching him and the other Masters fight in this war. She had, in particular, taken an interest in the dead man before her. He had been such an intriguing human. It was a shame his life had to have ended like this. She'd have to ask her old friend to save a spot for this poor man's soul in Hakugyokurou.

Standing back up straight, the blonde woman spoke her companion, "Ran, change of plans. We're going to pay the Matou residence a visit before we return."

"Yukari-sama," The other woman stepped out of the shadows, her hands hidden in the sleeves of clothing, "What are you planning?"

"Oh, just granting a dead man his final wish," She remarked casually.

Ran blinked, surprised that her master was going so far for a human. Not to mention one she had never spoken to before. Something was up. Definitely. Everything her master did was for a reason. Coming to the outside world to watch this war, appearing before this man in his final moments, and now going to fulfill his dying wish. Yes, Yukari had something up her sleeve, but the shikigami could only wonder as to what.

So deep in thought was she, Ran did not notice her master had already disappeared into a gap. It wasn't until the woman peeked her head out that purple, ribbon-like portal and spoke did it finally catch Ran's attention.

"Ran, are you coming?"

"A-ah, forgive me Yukari-sama," The shikigami said hastily as she disappeared into the gap. It too soon disappearing from sight.

–

That night she had cried. She had cried so much, cried for her mother, cried for her father, and cried for her Nee-chan. But no one had came. No one cared for her anymore. After all, her father had sent her away from the place she had called a home. Now she was here in this unfamiliar place with these people she knew so little about, these people that frightened her so much.

And so she continued to cry and cry till there was no more tears left in her. It had quickly tired out the girl and she soon found herself dreaming. Dreaming of a happier time, out playing with her Nee-chan as their mother watched with that gentle smile of hers. Such a pleasant dream that contrasted harshly with her reality...

Unknown to the sleeping girl, a small opening in space appeared before her sleeping form. Purple and ribbon-like with what appeared to be eyes all around it, the opening gradually got larger till a woman stepped out of it followed by another.

Yukari moved closer to the child's bed, spending a few moments watching her breathes. She listened intently, making sure Sakura's slumber was deep. She didn't want to startle the girl after all. The youkai wasn't worried about the Matou's getting alerted, but it would make things so much simpler if the child remained sleeping till they got to Gensokyo.

When she was sure Sakura would not wake up so readily, she motioned for Ran to lift the girl up out of bed. Not that Yukari couldn't do it herself, it was just the shikigami was so much better with kids. It helps that Ran's own shikigami was still just a child herself. Or as much of a child someone over 100 years old could be. The shikigami managed to lift Sakura up with little disturbance and hold her securely in her arms.

With a nod, Yukari opened another gap, allowing Ran to go in first. The youkai woman, however, paused, "Impressive Zouken, I didn't think you'd have noticed."

"What do you think you're doing taking that child from me, Yukari?" Zouken asked, stepping out of the shadows. Clear displeasure easily seen on the old man's features.

The youkai turned to face him, "I have my reasons, Zouken. One of such being to keep that child out of your disgusting plans."

"How did yo-"

But before the old man could finish his question, the woman had already disappeared into a gap. Zouken swore under his breath, everything he had planned for that little girl, down the drain in a matter of minutes. All because that damn youkai decided to interfere. But there was nothing he could do. If he had tried to stop her, he'd have been surely killed.

"You've won this time Yukari..." He mumbled to himself, walking out the room. But next time, next time he was not going to allow her to succeed. No, he was not going to let that youkai ruin everything...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>For the record, I have not read all of Fate/Zero. I merely used wiki info for the part with Kariya, changing a few of things to make this fic work more effectively.


End file.
